Jobs at Brough’s BAE Systems factory could be in jeopardy earlier than first feared, union officials have warned.

Factory workers at the Hawk aircraft-producing aerodrome could face the chop by December 2018 – almost a year earlier than predicted – if an order for six new planes is not signed off within the next two months.

Read More

Mr Rex said “gaps” in the order book were a “real problem” for BAE Systems, as it was not cost effective to stop and start the manufacturing process.

“It is essential we keep that line running,” he said. “We can slow it down or speed it up – but what we can’t do is stop.”

Officials from Unite the Union spent two days over the past week lobbying more than 30 MPs, ministers and shadow ministers in Westminster in a bid to reduce the job losses at Brough.

Hull MP Diana Johnson with members of the BAE Systems lobby in Parliament

Diana Johnson, Labour MP for Hull North, who met with the Brough union officials in Parliament on Wednesday, said: “We want the Government to do everything possible to make sure that Qatari deal is signed.”

At the time of announcing the redundancies on October 10, BAE Systems confirmed it was factoring in the Qatar deal into its production timeline.

The defence manufacturer said: “While this [the Qatar order for six Hawks] is also subject to agreeing a contract between BAE Systems and the Qatar government, we have taken the decision to include this potential future order in production planning, extending Hawk manufacturing for a further 12 months at a reduced production rate.

Read More

“We are actively pursuing additional orders which, if secured in the next year, would further extend Hawk manufacturing.”

A spokesman for BAE’s air division told the Mail talks with Qatari counterparts about turning the Statement of Intent into a binding contract “remained ongoing”.

Union officials were in Parliament to also talk to ministers about the possibility of putting in an early order for a new set of Hawks which would be flown by the Red Arrows, the RAF’s aerobatics display team.

Read More

Ex-Prime Minister David Cameron and Defence Secretary Michael Fallon had previously said the Red Arrows would require replacements for their Tmk1 Hawks, which entered service in the 1970s, by 2020 – but the Ministry of Defence has since put that renewal date back to 2030 .

A cross-party group of 142 MPs – led by Ms Johnson and Andrew Percy, the Conservative MP for Goole – has backed calls for an order of Red Arrow Hawks to be “brought forward” by the Government.

Read More

“If they [the Government] don’t do something before 2019, any replacement for the Red Arrows will more than likely be foreign aircraft. And if manufacturing goes, then that will really hit the Brough town.”

The union estimates that every one job at the BAE Systems factory supports another four within the wider Humber supply chain.

A BAE Systems spokesman said it was in the middle of a consultation over redundancies where company officials were “doing everything they can to get to the best possible situation”.

The company said it was “a matter for the Government” to decide on whether to order new planes for the Red Arrows.